I want to highlight few other points before we enter the shlokas of Gita. In the earlier write up, I mentioned about the uneasiness some people feel about Krishna appearing to be pushing for Himsa in Gita. It is easy and may be morally right to appreciate and respect some one who teaches and practices Ahimsa. It seems that Jesus is great when he says that if some one slaps you on one cheek, then you should turn the other cheek to him.

As if himsa is not committed by turning the other cheek. In fact, by turning the other cheek, you are making the other guy feel so small that he falls on your feet. The himsa is subtle and can go down to his innermost existence. If this act of turning the other cheek transforms the person in front of you then it is a different matter.

Krishna in Mahabharata refuses to choose Himsa or Ahimsa. He is willing to accept what the life has to offer. A war has been thrust upon the Pandavas. Krishna does not choose; he accepts what is inevitable. Krishna does not choose; he is in choicelessness. Acceptance of whatever comes is not choosing.

If you consider deeply, Ahimsa is an ideal that is not practical in day-to-day life even if you are a saint. We now know that as you live, many of your cells die and are replaced. Many microorganisms live and die just on the surface of your skin. In some deeper sense this is a sort of Himsa. In Krishna’s case it is a situation of war. Krishna can be with it, accept and perhaps lead to minimum himsa. Many of the warriors of the time of Mahabharata including Arjuna had capability of massive destructions by divine ashtras; they chose not to use those ashtras (like the Brahma Ashtra). They decided to fight a conventional battle to settle the differences.

In the same context of choicelessness, it was not an accident that Krishna was on the Pandava side, even though the choice appears to have been given to Duryodhana and Arjuna. The Parmatma is always on the side of the Dharma. Pandavas stood by the side of Dharma and Krishna had to be on that side. This again is not by choice; it has to happen. Even today, if you take a stand for Dharma, Krishna the Parmatma, the unseen will be on your side. For the Parmatma, prevailing and upholding of Dharma is more important than choosing between himsa and ahimsa.

The other point that I would like to bring in is how to approach discussion on Gita. Many discourses and commentaries on Gita in the past have been imposition of personal ideas and prejudices of the commentators. It is sometimes hard not to do that. Some people who believed in Ahimsa went to the extent of denying the whole existence of real Mahabharata, and made it a virtual story. Others were so drowned in Krishna Bhakti that they saw the victory of Pandavas from the first shloka of the Gita.

What I would like to point out is that there have been many different approaches to Gita and without appreciating or criticizing every one of them, I will like to keep an open mind and encourage others to help me in not interjecting my personal biases.

Here is a small poem that I have tried to write to express my general approach to eGita:

Gita is a search for me I am a seeker Searching for truth Searching for perfection Gita is a search for me

Most of the times I am a worker I am a physician; I am a doctor I am a karma yogi Looking for perfection I am a seeker Gita is a search for me

Sometimes, I am a bhakta I go to temples in devotion I am a seeker Searching for Him Gita is a search for me

At times I meditate Sitting down still Doing Nothing I am a Gyan Yogi Looking for Him In my dhyana I am a seeker Gita is a search for me

But, what I want most O Krishna, He Parmatma is For you to be by my side Like you stood besides Arjuna In happiness and in despair I am a seeker I need a friend, a companion To hold my hand Tell me to stand up When the chips are down I am a seeker Gita is a search for me eGita is a search for me